When They Were Younger
by Unsugar
Summary: They met, they pretended and finally they lost everything between them. Friendship of young Alviss Rolan. Appearance of Danna, Alan, Phantom and Peta.


Title: When They Were Younger

**Title:** When They Were Younger

**Fandom:** Anime – Marchen Awakens Romance

**Author:** Faker of Innocence aka goldenneko

**Summary:** They met, they pretended and finally they lost everything between them. Friendship of young Alviss+Rolan. Appearance of Danna, Alan, Phantom and Peta.

**Rating:** G

**Warning:** A bit of OOC-ness, a change of flashback during the first War Game. A bit of AU-ness as well.

**Disclaimer:** I have checked my account bank; still do not have enough money to own Marchen Awakens Romance.

o-o-o-o-o-o

_A blond boy sat alone on a riverside, facing the river. He had not been moving for almost an hour, seeming to be in deep thought._

_And to see a boy like that intrigued the 10-years-old Alviss, especially when the boy was around his age and was alone, despite the raging War Game at the nearby city._

_Not that he had anything to say to it, since he himself was alone, knowing that Danna-san and Alan-san were busy handling the Cross Guard._

_"Hey, what are you doing here all alone? Do you know it's dangerous to be around here by yourself?" the blue-haired boy walked up to the other boy's side by the river._

_Curious-filled eyes looked up at him, shock etched on his owner. "Ho… How about you? I don't see any adult around."_

_"My… guardians are busy helping in the War Game. I don't want to become a nuisance to them," Alviss faced the other way; there was no way he would tell this boy that his 'guardians' were the warriors from the Cross Guard. It would be too troublesome._

_ The other boy smiled, patting the spot beside him, gesturing to Alviss to sit, which Alviss did reluctantly. "S… so are my guardians. They are also busy helping around. So… are you always around here?"_

_Alviss could not help but smile. "When I'm not needed, I always come here and sit by the river. But today someone already took my place."_

_"Re… really? I... I'm sorry! I did not mean to… to," the blond stuttered._

_Alviss laughed. This boy was so different from him! He seemed so… timid. "I'm just kidding! I never saw you around before, so I wanted to know about you. There are no other kids my age around here, anyway. My name's Alviss. Yours?"_

_The boy smiled in relief and said, "M… my name is Rolan. Nice to meet you, Alviss."_

o-o-o-o-o-o

_"Alan, do you see Al?" the leader of the Cross Guard asked his partner, concerned for the youngest member of the Cross Guard's wellbeing. It had been a while since they had their last talk, and he was worried if Alviss was avoiding him for some reasons._

_"Do you need him for something, Danna? I can have someone to search for him by the river."_

_"No, I'm just… worried."_

_Alan smirked. Danna sometimes worried too much about that brat. But he could not help it, Alan thought. He did mention having a son around Alviss' age. He guessed it was just the father inside him. _

"_He's at the river. Gaira told me he had found a friend about his own age there. They have been sticking to each other apparently."_

"_Oh, it's a good thing then. It was hard enough for Al to even have people to talk to around here," The blond man said, relieved that Alviss was safe. Not only that, he seemed to be happy with this new friend of his._

"_Although I'm worried about something…"_

"_Oh…?"_

"_Others said they saw that boy went back to Chess no Koma's territory after meeting Alviss. Don't you think…?"_

_Danna frowned._

o-o-o-o-o-o

_"Peta, where's Rolan? It's unlike him not to be here at this time," Phantom asked, curious how the young child was not by his side after the end of a Battle._

_"He is at the river, Phantom. I think he had made a new friend."_

_"Oh? Who is it?"_

_"The child who is always by Danna's side. The one who they call Alviss."_

_Phantom smirked. Fate, apparently, was cruel to those kids._

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Do you remember him, Alviss?"

"… Yes. He was here six years ago," the 16-years-old warrior replied absent-mindedly, eyes focusing on the Knight across them.

"Back then," Alan continued, "he was around the Rook class."

_'He was my friend…'_

"But now, he's risen to Knight!"

_'And now, he's also my enemy…'_

o-o-o-o-o-o

_"Al, I need to tell you something…"_

_"Danna-san, is it about Rolan?" Alviss looked up from the blanket that was covering him. Noticing the look of shock on the older man's face, the tired boy continued, "If it is about Rolan from Chess no Koma, I have already known about it. I have noticed his Rook earring the first day we met. And," he stopped, not knowing if he should continue._

_"And…?"_

_"I… I think Phantom knew about it… about our friendship."_

_Danna paled at that. The blue-haired boy saw his fists curled tighter. The warrior was not happy that Alviss finding friend in a kid from Chess no Koma, and he definitely not happy with the fact that Phantom knew about it earlier from him._

_"Why… why did he do that, when he already knew about your friendship?" the man sighed, sitting at the edge of Alviss' bed. He had been bed-ridden for two days after he had been cursed by Phantom. Slowly, he lifted his hand to ruffle the boy's hair; something that he knew showed a sign of affection for the boy._

_"I… don't know. And I don't think Rolan knew that Phantom had put the… the Tattoo on me."_

_Danna sighed again. If Alviss had already knew about Rolan's origin, it would not be hard to break the news to him. "I think you're right about the fact Rolan did not know about what happened to you before." The older continued when Alviss kept silent. "That boy… was there, at today's Battle. It was the first time for him. I think he was looking for you, Alviss."_

_"He will meet me then."_

_"Alviss, do you really want to…?"_

_"It is time for both of us to. Both of us knew about each other, but we avoided the matter. All for the sake of this stupid, pretentious _friendship_ of ours."_

_To hear Alviss said those phrases without any feelings, Danna felt as if his heart was bleeding._

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Why… Why would Phantom put that… put that Tattoo on his ally!!"

_'Then, why did he put it on _you_?"_

"That's the Zombie Tattoo. When the Tattoo encompasses your entire body, you'll become a living corpse!" Alviss continued; shock and anger were apparent on his bloodied face.

_'Living corpse? Is that what he told you, Alviss? He did not tell me that.'_

"Why… do you get so angry? That is proof that he has chosen you. I… took the baptism of my own will… so that I may walk the same path as him…" Rolan smiled, masking the pain he felt on finding out that Phantom had chosen Alviss, not him.

_'And… while I volunteered, Phantom had chosen you to the same path as him…'_

"Why!?"

_'Why did he choose you, Alviss? Are you really that special?'_

o-o-o-o-o-o

_That day was the Final Battle. It was the day when Alviss and Rolan met not as friends, but as enemies._

_In the end, the Cross Guard won the War Game, but not without a sacrifice. Danna died, along with Phantom. But Peta, Phantom's advisor, announced that Phantom would be back, with the promise to once again terrorise MÄR Heaven._

_ Both Alviss and Rolan vowed to be stronger until then, not only for the future, but also for their lost friendship._

_For since that day, they were no longer friends, but eternal enemies._

o-o-o-o-o-o

This fic was supposed to be _short_ and _sweet_, but what happen now? It's long and full of angst!

Note that there was no specific timeline for the First War Game. Did Alviss receive his Tattoo before or during Danna's Battle with Phantom? Just for the sake of the fic, I made it before. I just gave Danna another reason to fight Phantom.

Well, what do you think? Good or bad?

Please read and review. Thank you.

F.o.I aka goldenneko


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